Investigating photosynthetic efficiency and nutrient use in marine microalgae (provisional- for admin. purposes only)

研究海洋微藻的光合效率和养分利用（临时-仅用于管理目的）

• 批准号: 2887783
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Oxford
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2887783
• 关键词: Investigating; photosynthetic; efficiency; nutrient; use

Given the role of CO2 in climate change, development of carbon-efficient biomanufacturing solutions is important. Microalgae (including cyanobacteria) are an important part of the global food chain as major primary producers, and are unique in their ability to perform oxygenic photosynthesis and CO2 fixation. However, low photosynthetic efficiency, specifically carbon fixation per nutrient used, is limiting under industrial settings. CyanoCapture seeks to engineer a Synechococcus elongatus, PCC11901 (Syn11901) with maximum carbon fixation for minimum nutrient input, with a view to scale up as a point-source carbon capture technology. Pathways for maximising photosynthetic efficiency include improving Rubisco activity for carbon fixation, CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM), and reduction of other metabolic burdens including respiration rates. However, these incur significant barriers, so we look to evolutionary history in search of novel avenues for manipulation. This iCASE focuses on characterising nutrient use efficiency (NUE) across cyanobacteria, coccolithophores and prasinophytes, with implications for industrial application of carbon fixation and in understanding the emergence of the oligotrophic ocean in Earth's history. The primary nutrient of interest is phosphorus, as inorganic phosphorous stores have rapidly depleted with the advent of modern agriculture and industry. The project fits into a large-scale attempt to understand the global shift from a nitrogen- to phosphorous-limited planet, and what this will mean for the composition and carbon fixing power of primary productivity.The project aims to: (1) identify the most photosynthetically efficient coccolithophore and prasinophytes; (2) investigate growth rate and elemental stoichiometry of these strains in comparison to Syn11901 (WT and engineered strains of interest provided by CyanoCapture); (3) place the strains into their evolutionary contexts; (4) engineer a photosynthetically 'streamlined' cyanobacterium with maximum carbon fixation for minimum energy loss, under minimal nutrient conditions and; (5) use metabolomics and fluxomics to elucidate carbon flux in these organisms.BBSRC theme: Bioscience for renewable resources and clean growth.

鉴于二氧化碳在气候变化中的作用，开发碳效率高的生物制造解决方案非常重要。微藻（包括蓝藻）是全球食物链的重要组成部分，是主要的初级生产者，并且具有独特的产氧光合作用和二氧化碳固定能力。然而，低光合效率，特别是所用养分的碳固定，在工业环境下受到限制。 CyanoCapture 寻求设计一种细长聚球藻 PCC11901 (Syn11901)，以最少的养分输入实现最大程度的碳固定，以期扩大为点源碳捕获技术。最大化光合作用效率的途径包括提高用于碳固定的 Rubisco 活性、二氧化碳浓缩机制 (CCM) 以及减少其他代谢负担（包括呼吸速率）。然而，这些会带来重大障碍，因此我们着眼于进化历史来寻找新的操纵途径。该 iCASE 重点关注蓝藻、颗石藻和绿藻植物的养分利用效率 (NUE) 特征，对碳固定的工业应用以及了解地球历史上寡营养海洋的出现具有重要意义。人们感兴趣的主要营养素是磷，因为随着现代农业和工业的出现，无机磷储存已迅速耗尽。该项目符合一项大规模尝试，旨在了解全球从氮限制性行星向磷限制性行星的转变，以及这对初级生产力的组成和固碳能力意味着什么。该项目旨在：（1）确定光合效率最高的颗石藻和绿藻植物； (2) 研究这些菌株与 Syn11901（WT 和由 CyanoCapture 提供的感兴趣的工程菌株）相比的生长速率和元素化学计量； (3) 将菌株置于其进化背景中； (4) 设计一种光合“精简”的蓝细菌，在最少的营养条件下具有最大的固碳能力，从而实现最小的能量损失； (5)利用代谢组学和通量组学来阐明这些生物体中的碳通量。BBSRC主题：可再生资源和清洁生长的生物科学。